Have You Ever Seen a Mini Mardi Gras Parade?

“Mini Mardi Gras” takes center stage as tiny shoe box floats will take to the streets in New Orleans this Saturday, Feb. 3 when the ‘tit Rex parade celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Parade-goers heading to the satirical show will see this year’s whimsical king’s float which channels the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans.

One Gentilly man says it’s an honor to build the king’s float for the tiny parade that has drawn crowds for 10 years.

“It’s a lot of work; I can’t even tell you how many hours we log in building this stuff and making it,” Victor Pizarro said.

Pizarro is one of the men behind bringing the shoe box creation to life. The float depicts the moment in New Orleans history that was special for both good and bad reasons.

When the 1984 Louisiana World’s Exposition opened in New Orleans the exposition wowed with attractions like the Wonderwall and gondola. However, the exposition was also a financial flop and was the last world’s fair to be held in the U.S.

‘Tit Rex is one of the first smaller, alternative parades to have a regular night and route in the Marigny neighborhood. This year’s parade theme “X” marks the milestone.

“It feels really nice to have been kind of an innovator in bringing more carnival culture down into the downriver Creole neighborhoods,” Pizarro said.

Pizarro takes us behind the scenes as he builds the king’s float spectators will see this season in this special mini Mardi Gras.

“Mini Mardi Gras” takes center stage as tiny shoe box floats will take to the streets in New Orleans this Saturday, Feb. 3 when the ‘tit Rex parade celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Parade-goers heading to the satirical show will see this year’s whimsical king’s float which channels the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans.

One Gentilly man says it’s an honor to build the king’s float for the tiny parade that has drawn crowds for 10 years.

“It’s a lot of work; I can’t even tell you how many hours we log in building this stuff and making it,” Victor Pizarro said.

Pizarro is one of the men behind bringing the shoe box creation to life. The float depicts the moment in New Orleans history that was special for both good and bad reasons.

When the 1984 Louisiana World’s Exposition opened in New Orleans the exposition wowed with attractions like the Wonderwall and gondola. However, the exposition was also a financial flop and was the last world’s fair to be held in the U.S.

‘Tit Rex is one of the first smaller, alternative parades to have a regular night and route in the Marigny neighborhood. This year’s parade theme “X” marks the milestone.

“It feels really nice to have been kind of an innovator in bringing more carnival culture down into the downriver Creole neighborhoods,” Pizarro said.

Pizarro takes us behind the scenes as he builds the king’s float spectators will see this season in this special mini Mardi Gras.